Meet and learn from dozens of authors

Florida Heritage Book Festival is Sept. 12-13

A first of its kind, the Florida Heritage Book Festival will provide an opportunity for attendees to meet 40 award-winning and bestselling authors from throughout the state.

A Meet the Authors reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 12 at the historic Markland House on the campus of Flagler College. In addition to mixing and mingling with festival authors, the event will feature a heavy hors d'oeuvre buffet, a selection of wine, entertainment (including historical portrayals) and music blended with literary company and conversation. Tickets are $25 each by reservation. No tickets will be sold at the door. For reservations, call Marie Cashat at 940-0890. For profiles of the participating authors, go to www.fhbookfest.com.

The festival's Craft of Writing workshops will be conducted from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 in the Flagler Room of the Casa Monica Hotel. Presented by distinguished writing and publishing professionals, the 12 workshops provide aspiring authors with the ideal opportunity to learn about topics such as scene structuring, pacing, marketing, working with an editor, overcoming writer's block even the intricacies of entertainment law. The fee is $45 and includes lunch with photographer, writer and keynote speaker Gary Monroe and all conference materials. For reservations, contact Dianne Ell at 825-0861 or e-mail dnell328@comcast.net.

The Florida Heritage Book Festival will feature a wide array of events and activities promoting reading and literacy. These will include workshops, readings and book signings by popular authors, as well as hands-on programs to be conducted in local schools. All genres will be featured including history, nature, mystery, culture and children's interest.

Except for a few ticketed events, including a motorized tour of the city's literary landmarks to be conducted at 11 a.m. and noon Sept. 13, all of the festival's events will be open to the public and provided free of charge.

The PBS film "In Marjorie's Wake," by Bill Belleville, will be on screen at 7 p.m. Sept. 13. The film explores the literary life of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

In addition, free children's events will take place from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. at Flagler College's Ringhaver Center. Children will have the chance to play instruments from the University of North Florida band, hear Florida Cracker Tales and stories about reptiles called "Tales of Gators and Seminoles," and can participate in a pirate-themed event called "Ahoy, Lads and Lassies."

All proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Libraries of St. Johns County and Newspapers In Education which provides free newspapers each day to local teachers and students.

Most events take place on the Flagler College Campus, with a free trolley from the city parking garage. For more information on the Florida Heritage Book Festival, go to www.fhbookfest.com or call Kathy Dvornick at 940-0194.